BEST MOVING TIPS AND TRICKS

Making a local move to a new residence across town or a long distance move across the country can be demanding and exhausting if you do not know the best moving tips or have enough advice on how to make moving easier. However, a residential relocation is not an insignificant event that should be full of dread. Usually, moving to a new home represents a major change in your life that should be celebrated, whether you are moving for a job transfer, accepting a company promotion or starting a new career; transferring schools or attending a new college; or embarking upon a new adventure as you begin the next chapter in your life. While the moving process requires much time and effort, this experience should be a happy endeavor filled with the joy and excitement of what is awaiting your arrival. With the right moving advice at your fingertips, you can organize and implement your move like an expert. Here are some of the best moving tips and tricks available to show you how to make moving easier, efficient, and more enjoyable!

MOVING TIP #1 – Create a Spending Plan

This moving tip might be the most valuable, because anything in life that is worth doing usually comes with a price tag. If you begin the process of your move with an unplanned, pay-as-you-go approach, you will not have a clear picture of how much funding you will need. Spending haphazardly without keeping track of what you will need and what is going out is not a good moving idea and you will quickly run out of money. However, planning your move with a focused strategy and a clear budget is how to make moving easier, ensuring that you will begin your new life as financially stable as possible.

The most essential moving tip would be to make a detailed list showing every single task that you will need to do from the moment that you decide to relocate to the first day that you will be fully settled in your new life within your new surroundings. Write down a complete list showing all of your moving ideas and then review them to determine which ones are feasible and which ones are not. Then, figure out what everything will cost for your preparations, the price of your movers, final utility bills, vehicle registration and transfer fees, new residential connection fees, and all of the incidental materials and costs that you will need throughout your move. Remember that you will still need to maintain household expenses in the meantime until you move. Check to see what you will have in savings and how much you will have in income over and above what you will need for regular expenditures. When you figure out how much funding you will have available for the move, you will be able to make sure that all of your moving costs are covered. Another helpful moving tip regarding your spending plan is to be selective about bargain shopping. While it is important to be budget minded with your spending, you should make certain that you are not cutting corners in the areas where you will need the best quality such as your Boston moving company. Choose a Boston mover that will meet all of your needs offering premium services for the most affordable rates. If you are a proactive individual and prefer to do more of the packing yourself, your chosen Boston mover will have a variety of packing and moving tips to offer you to make this experience more safe and efficient. One of the best moving tips is to put some money aside for travel expenses if you are moving long distance. This moving advice is valuable, because food and lodging costs during your journey will add up and you will need an emergency fund to be prepared for anything unexpected that may arise along the way.

MOVING TIP #2 – Lighten your Load

A valuable moving tip for lightening your load would be that removing clutter from your current surroundings will help to create balance and harmony within your new living space. Before you begin packing your belongings for your big move, you should start sorting through everything that you own to figure out which items are essential for your move and which items are not.

You will read about or hear unique moving ideas or moving advice, along with a variety of trendy formulas for making this decision from not keeping things that you have not used in 6 months to only keeping items that give you joy. These very specific ideas for purging can be quite effective moving hacks for some, but not every household is the same and these methods are not necessarily applicable to every person’s reality or way of life. Purging household possessions may work for some people, but editing the items that are being packed might be more reasonable for others. The best moving tips for lightening your load are to be selective and to ask yourself the following four questions:

• Do I need it?
• Do I want it?
• Does it have meaning to me?
• Does it serve a valid purpose in my life?

If the answer is YES to at least one of these questions, then the best moving advice for you would be to keep that particular item. Many people use items in their homes or wear certain pieces of clothing on a seasonal basis. Consequently, it might not be used or worn for 6 months at a time. Other people have expansive wardrobes and do not like to wear things twice in a short period of time, but do enjoy wearing those items again at later dates. Some people use certain linens and drapery on a seasonal basis too, choosing specific curtains for winter versus summer or bed linens that are cooler during warm temperatures. This is the reason that the 6-month toss-out rule might not be the best moving advice for you. The packing and moving tip that makes the most sense would be to edit these items and find the pieces that you never wear or do not have plans to wear and consider getting rid of those. This does not include milestone attire like a wedding gown or other clothing items of sentimental value. The same applies to the other areas of your belongings. Some knick knacks or similar pieces of ornamentation are only for decoration and have no real meaning to you or monetary worth. These are items that you might consider donating or selling.

On the other hand, you may have other objects that are priceless gifts that are dear to your heart or could be part of a valuable collection. The moving tip in this circumstance is to keep and transport the pieces that are the most precious to you. Bear in mind that keeping a broken lamp, an outdated television or a worn-out chair would not be the best moving idea. Although these furniture components might have been fabulous at the time of purchase and served a needed purpose for several years – the best packing tip for moving the items that no longer function would be to move them into the trash pile.

Choosing to remove clutter from your home does not have to condemn you to a life of absolute minimalism, if that is not really your style. The easiest way to pack for moving is to leave behind the things that you will not want to have in your new home, enabling you to begin your new life with less stress and disorder. Remember that this decision should not be taken lightly. Therefore, when you figure out which items and furniture pieces are not going to be kept – figure out which of those items should be thrown away and make arrangements for special trash pick-up or take them to the appropriate trash drop-off sites. Another helpful piece of moving advice would be to check with your local city or town hall for special drop-off sites designated for old televisions, computers, and other related equipment. Additionally, you may have items that you do not want to keep, but are too nice to throw away. There are various charitable organizations for those who are in need within your geographical area that you can call to find out their drop-off locations. However, some may offer to schedule a donation pick-up, which will save you a trip.

Another moving idea for the remaining items would be to have a yard sale on a nice sunny day or a garage sale if the weather is questionable. This will enable you to get rid of anything else that you will not be keeping and it will generate some extra money for your move or other needed expenses. Another rule of thumb that might be helpful moving advice is to consider your costs. It would not make any sense to get rid of any pieces of furniture for the sake of moving fewer items, only to purchase those same pieces again at your new destination. This will result in additional expenses that are not necessary and this reinforces the reason that you should make these decisions with thoughtful consideration.

MOVING TIP #3 – Take Multiple Photographs

When you are accustomed to having all of your belongings in specific places within your current home, chances are, you will know precisely where to locate everything. However, when one item is misplaced, you may find yourself feeling frustrated until you discover where it is hiding. This feeling can be far worse when you move and do not remember how to organize or position your belongings in different surroundings. The best moving tips for figuring out where everything should go in your new home will make the process feel less daunting and will be helpful if you have a preferred system of household organization. Take a photo of everything in your home before packing to move. For instance, if you have a vanity or dressing table, capturing an image with the set-up of your make-up and cosmetics will help you to organize these items more easily when you arrive at your new destination. Taking a photo of the electrical cords and cables for all of your electronics is a great moving hack to make the reconnection of these components much easier. One moving trick that you should consider is taping labels to the ends of those cords and cables. If you are not able to connect all of the wires based on the information in the photo, the labels will pick up with the photo leaves off. Taking photos of your collectibles or other valuable possessions will also make moving easier, because you will have a photo inventory that you can use at your new residence when unpacking.

MOVING TIP #4 – Plan your Exit Strategy

When you have to focus so much of your time on the planning, packing, and transportation of your belongings – you might feel rushed leaving little opportunity to give your old house or apartment the full attention that it deserves. A quick once-over might not be adequate enough if your old place requires some cleaning and repairs upon your departure. An expert moving tip would be to schedule some separate time to devote to the cleaning and maintenance of your old residence. If you are renting – the landlord or property manager will appreciate your effort to clean and repair any damages that you may have made, especially if you have been a tenant for longer than five years. If you are a homeowner and have not sold your current home yet, you should do everything that you can possibly do to make your house more appealing. There are a few extremely clever moving tricks that will help you to leave your place in the best condition possible for prospective home buyers or for the return of your apartment security deposit.

• You may discover that pulling nails from the walls where your framed photographs, paintings, wall art, and other decorative items were hanging may be challenging. When the nails are stuck or deep within the wall, you will probably need a hammer to pull each one out. Wrap an elastic band around your hammer to pull the nails from the walls. This will create a buffer and will prevent the hammer from scratching or damaging the walls during the extraction process.
• Wall art and framed photographs are the decorative accoutrements that fill the blank canvases of your home with warmth and beauty. However, the holes that are remaining when you remove these pieces and their nails from the wall can be unsightly. There are a variety of DIY moving tips for filling those holes from making a paste of glue and baking soda to using toothpaste or white soap. However, although most of these work in a pinch, the best moving trick is to purchase a can of fast drying spackle from the hardware store, along with a small paint brush (1 inch or less), sandpaper, touch-up paint to match the wall color, and a putty knife. Use the knife to fill the holes with spackle and scrape away the excess. Then, work on some other cleaning projects for a few minutes until the spackle spots are dry. Smooth the spots with sandpaper if necessary and touch up the spots with the touch-up paint. When you are done, it will look as good as new.
• When you move your furniture out of the house, you may notice several small indentations left behind on the carpet resulting from those components being positioned within one spot for long periods of time. A potential buyer or renter might be discouraged by the flooring if it has several dents. The perfect carpet dent removal trick for moving is to use ice cubes. Simply place ice cubes in all of the dents (more than one cube for deeper dents) and let the cubes melt. The carpet will absorb the moisture and you can blot the rest with a sponge or paper towel. Then use a soft toothbrush to fluff up the spot and your carpet will look like it did the day that you moved in.
• If you have hardwood floors in your old apartment or house, you may need to buff out some scuff marks. A unique moving trick is to get a tennis ball, cut a slit into it, and slip the ball onto the end of a broom stick. Then, carefully rub the scuff marks with the tennis ball until they fade away.

If your current home or apartment has carpeting, experts suggest that it would be a good moving idea to pack your vacuum cleaner in your own vehicle rather than the moving truck. As a quick and effective moving trick for cleaning your carpet – purchase a can of spray foam carpet cleaner. When your home or apartment is completely empty, spray the entire carpet, wait 15 minutes for it to dry, and then vacuum it up. This is the perfect moving day tip for a less time-consuming way to clean your carpet. If you have a few extra minutes, another moving trick for making the room smell fresh upon departure is to sprinkle a powder carpet deodorizer throughout, wait a few minutes, and then vacuum. This will make your home or apartment smell wonderful for prospective tenants or home buyers.

MOVING TIP #5 – Take Many Measurements

A moving tip that you will not want to forget is to have a good quality tape measure on hand long before moving day. You should measure all of your furniture components and add those measurements to your moving plan. It is equally important for you to take measurements of your new residence, which should include all doorways and room entryways, along with the width and height of all stairways that will be accessed when moving your furniture. Many people are so inundated with all of the other details surrounding their moves that they forget this important moving advice which will definitely make moving easier. Of course, a high quality Boston moving company will be an expert at maneuvering large pieces and navigating through tight spaces. However, even the best movers cannot make a square peg fit into a round hole. If you have an oversized item that is not going to fit into your new home, the best moving advice would be to consider selling or donating that item and purchasing something new that will fit. This moving tip will maximize the time and effort allocated toward your move, while minimizing your stress.

MOVING TIP #6 – Bag your Products

A handy packing and moving tip for preventing leakage with your cosmetics or grooming products is to buy a box of gallon-size zippered plastic bags. Insert your shampoo, conditioner, perfume, shaving cream, mousse, and any other cosmetics that might leak into individual bags and then zip them closed. This is ideal for other bathroom products such as lotion, creams, and astringents. Bottles with pumps often have a locking feature when you turn the nozzle of the pump, but the best moving tip would be to put all of these types of products inside of their own zippered plastic bags as a precaution. If you are concerned about any other bottle or container tops that might not stay secure – a moving tip that always works is to put a piece of packing tape over the top to hold it in place and prevent the top from working its way lose or a lid from opening. The less spillage the better and if something does leak, it will be contained within the plastic bag.

MOVING TIP #7 – Pick up the Pieces

Accidents occasionally happen amidst the shuffle during moves leaving you with tiny shards of glass all over the floor that may be difficult to see or to sweep up. This moving advice is an unexpected hidden gem because all you will need to use is a plain slice of bread. Simply press the bread slice upon the area where the glass shards are very gently to grab those little pieces that the broom missed or that you could not see. If you do not have any bread handy, try rolling a piece of packing or duct tape. Slide your fingers through the middle of the tape and lightly pat it on the spot, while slowly turning the tape all the way around to utilize every inch of it. The adhesive will pick up the pieces and reduce your risk for getting cut.

MOVING TIP #8 – Avoid a Tangled Mess

Nothing is worse than trying to untangle cords and cables when you are settling in to your new living space. However, there is an extremely useful, yet surprising moving trick that will solve this issue. Bath tissue and paper towel rolls offer the perfect solution for containment of your wires to prevent tangling. You will have a couple of options in the way that you choose to use the rolls. Either you can wrap each wire with an elastic band and stuff each one inside of a toilet paper roll to hold the wire in place or you can simply slip the loose wires all the way through a paper towel roll. Both methods will allow you to separate each wire from the other individually or will help a grouping of wires to stay together with certain components without turning into a tangled mess. These moving tips for your wires, cables, and cords are cost effective and help to make moving easier.

MOVING TIP #9 – Pack for Immediate Needs

It is advisable to pack an “essentials” box and a “first night box. Typically, the contents of the “essentials” box should be certain valuables, jewelry, emergency documentation, medications, a change of clothing, first aid products, and any other items that you might need to have access to right away. A “first night” box should contain sleepwear, clothing for the next day especially if you have to go to work, bed linens, towels, and grooming items or cosmetics that you would need for that night or the next morning. You will feel like this moving tip is a life saver when those items are within your reach rather than being inaccessible on the moving truck.

MOVING TIP #10 – Fill in the Gaps

There are hard ways and easy ways to pack for moving, but if you opt for an easier route – you could save yourself some serious time and effort, while maximizing the space that you have. Many people do not realize the countless number of empty spaces that can be utilized within your own personal belongings as the most amazing packing hacks for moving. For instance, instead of transporting your suitcases on the moving truck with the rest of your belongings – try using them as the ideal vessels of containment. A previous moving tip was to pack an “essentials” box and a “first night” box. However, instead of putting those contents inside of cardboard boxes – you should use your suitcases. Chances are you will have zippered compartments in the various pieces of luggage that will enable you to transport certain items that are small, easily lost or valuable with some peace of mind. Most people have some type of luggage from suitcases to overnight tote and travel bags. Using your suitcases will provide you with an easy way to pack for moving, filling those empty bags with needed items that you can keep in the trunk of your vehicle or back seat. In addition, this moving idea will create more space on the moving truck for other boxes and furniture. Any remaining suitcases would be perfect for packing your clothing, as if you were going on a vacation, but remember to continue filling in the gaps. Put fragile or valuable items inside of your socks, which can be placed inside of your shoes and boots. This packing and moving hack will serve two purposes – it will help you to use your available space to packing discreetly, while helping to retain the shapes of your footwear.

MOVING TIP #11 – Don’t Call your Friends

All of the popular articles of today that share various moving tips suggest that you should invite your friends and family members over to help you move. While this does make sense in theory, it is not the best moving advice. Let’s face it – there is not anyone who really wants to receive that invitation. It is unbelievably awkward when people receive the dreaded phone call from someone who is requesting help for his or her local or long distance move. If you say yes, you could expose yourself to physical harm when lifting items that are too large or too heavy for your stature. If you say no, you could risk offending the person who asked for your help. The best moving tip for this situation is – do not ask your friends or family members to help you move. If someone volunteers time and effort to help you with a yard or garage sale, organize some of your belongings or pack a few boxes – that is fine. However, when it comes to the actual moving portion of this event, trust the moving advice from the experts and let the professionals do what they do best. Hire a reputable Boston moving company for all of the heavy lifting and transportation of your belongings, because they will know how to pack, how to handle large and unconventional furniture pieces, how to wrap everything for the ultimate protection, and how to drive based upon the highest safety standards. Your movers are trained to know how to lift and maneuver safely and can perform your move in a timely manner. It may cost you less by asking your friends to help, but the best moving tip is to remember that your friendships and their well-being are far more important than saving a few dollars.